Michelle Obama just issued a powerful reminder of why Donald Trump's comments can't be swept under the rug
First lady Michelle Obama implored voters not to brush off Donald Trump's graphic comments about women as "just a lewd conversation" during an impassioned speech at a Thursday event for Hillary Clinton in Manchester, New Hampshire. Obama stressed that the tape from 2005 of Trump bragging about groping women is not just "locker room banter," but rather a "powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior."
Obama said that while Trump's comments in the tape released Friday have "shaken" her to her "core," what makes it even worse is that "it now seems clear this wasn't an isolated incident." On Wednesday, several women publicly accused Trump of grabbing or kissing them without consent; Trump has adamantly denied the accusations.
"It is intolerable," Obama said, arguing that these comments and accusations cannot be swept "under the rug as just another footnote in a sad election season." "[It] doesn't matter what party you belong to, no woman deserves to be treated this way."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Catch a snippet of her powerful takedown of Trump below, or watch the whole thing here. Becca Stanek
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Mint’s 250th anniversary coins face a whitewashing controversyThe Explainer The designs omitted several notable moments for civil rights and women’s rights
-
‘If regulators nix the rail merger, supply chain inefficiency will persist’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump HHS slashes advised child vaccinationsSpeed Read In a widely condemned move, the CDC will now recommend that children get vaccinated against 11 communicable diseases, not 17
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
-
Trump says US ‘in charge’ of Venezuela after Maduro grabSpeed Read The American president claims the US will ‘run’ Venezuela for an unspecified amount of time, contradicting a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies